Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) is the process of using supercritical fluids as an extracting solvent for separating components from an extraction matrix. In many cases, the process is used to separate liquids from a solid matrix, but SFE can be used to extract components from liquid matrices as well. SFE can be used to remove unwanted material from a product, to collect a desired product from the solid matrix, to prepare samples for analytical purposes, and for other uses. One typical use for SFE is for extracting essential oils and/or other herbal distillates from plants and other organic matter.
In its supercritical state, a fluid exhibits both gas-like and liquid-like characteristics. The gaseous properties of the supercritical fluid help to penetrate a solid matrix, while the liquid properties of the supercritical fluid allow the fluid to act as a solvent, pulling oils, resins, or other substances out of the solid matrix. Each particular fluid has a specific range of temperature and pressure combinations that cause the fluid to become supercritical. Carbon dioxide (CO2), for example, is a commonly used fluid in SFE because of the relatively low temperature and pressures at which it exhibits supercritical fluid properties. High temperatures and pressures can alter the molecular composition of some solid matrices, so keeping temperatures and pressures relatively low in the SFE process helps benefit the extraction process.
Known systems for performing SFE are typically large, expensive, and, often, unreliable and prone to failures. These and other issues are addressed as described herein.